Tokoroa missing person Shane Edwards acting ‘normal’ on day before disappearance

Michael Edwards, Shane Edwards’ older brother, flew in from Australia to help with the search. Photo / Mead Norton BTG 16Jun22 – Michael Edwards, Shane Edwards’ older brother, flew in from Australia to help with the search.

One of the last people to see Tokoroa man Shane Edwards before he went missing says he was acting “normal” and did not seem “upset”.

It comes as police follow up two potential sightings of the missing father of four in Rotorua and Whakatāne.

Edwards, 42, “vanished” from his Tokoroa home on May 14 and has not been seen or heard from since. Police say he has not used his phone, bank accounts or social media accounts.

Detective Sargeant David Whitecliffe-Davies said Edwards was captured on CCTV footage on May 13 at about 3pm at the Kelso St Superette and Lotto shop in Tokoroa.

Kelso Street Superette and Lotto owner Tony Singh said Edwards was a regular customer at the shop and said the disappearance was “very, very shocking”.

Singh was at the shop when Edwards visited on May 13.

“We didn’t see anything different.”

Singh said Edwards was acting “normal” and was buying lollies for his kids, along with some other things. In Singh’s view, Edwards did not seem “upset” and seemed “normal”.

He said the shop had put up the missing poster of Shane about three days ago. Some customers were talking about it but “nothing much – nobody knows anything about it”.

Singh said the police had taken the CCTV footage from the shop.

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After the Rotorua Daily Post published a story about Edwards’ case on Thursday morning, Detective Sergeant David Whitecliffe-Davies said police were following two potential sightings Whakatāne and Rotorua but nothing was “firm”.

Whitecliffe-Davies said police received a tip from someone who said they saw a person who “sort of resembled” Edwards walking on the street in Rotorua a few days ago.

“The Whakatāne one was a guy in a van living over there. They know the street but the van’s not there now but normally parks there during the day.

“They haven’t been able to find the van that the guy was staying in.”

Whitecliffe-Davies was asked about cellphone tracking, to which he said Edwards’ phone had been off two days before he went missing and had not been turned on since.

He said police were following up on leads “straight away” as they came in.

“Anything whether big or small… even if they think it’s nothing, we’ll be chasing up on every lead.”

Dr Michael Edwards, Shane’s older brother, flew from Australia to New Zealand to help with the search. Photo / Mead Norton

Shane Edwards’ older brother, Dr Michael Edwards, said he had received “a lot of good support, acknowledgements and good faith” from family and members of the public.

In Thursday’s story, Michael Edwards said his brother gave his partner no indication he was going anywhere the day he went missing.

“They were in the house doing their usual daily duties – he was doing the dishes, she was bathing the kids. There was nothing about him going anywhere – nothing whatsoever.

“[They] had a cooked dinner. Then she left for a moment, she was dealing with the kids, and then she’s come back out and he’s gone missing. Vanished.”

42-year-old father Shane Edwards went missing on May 14 and there have been no confirmed sightings of him since. Photo / Supplied

Shane Edwards was last seen between 4pm and 5.30pm on May 14 at home.

He was wearing a brown Swanndri jersey with a tinge of green, light blue jeans, black Converse Chuck Taylor shoes and a black beanie.

Michael Edwards described his brother as lean with a slim build, between 1.80m and 1.85m tall. He has dark, short, spiky hair, brown eyes, olive to white-coloured skin and no piercings or tattoos.

Shane Edwards is of Māori ethnicity and has affiliations to Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa and Ngāi Tahu.

Edwards has connections in Rotorua, Tokoroa, Tūrangi, Taupō and Christchurch.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Dave Whitecliffe-Davies on 021 191 0875 or police on 105 and reference police file number 220518/6338.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers on
0800 555 111 or through their website.